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Dean Rock Free Taking Project

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For me this is part of the whole dublin story that has never really been told or addressed. All we hear about is the great volunteers they are and all the charity work that they do. gahfan (Wexford) - Posts: 493 - 23/07/2020 08:06:34 2284945 Link
The amount of begrudery on here is mind boggling...... I didn't no which comment to reply to. Fair play to him starting his own business and trying to earn a living. Generally these are things to be applauded. Now I will reserve the right to change my mind on that if it is just a show up "I'm Dean Rock" thanks very much type of gig. But as long as it is a proper structured session I have absolutely no issue with it. The hypocrisy of some. Cul Camps charge, most club managers charge "expenses", physiotherapist, traditionalists, S&C coaches etc and usually whats thrown at these guys and girls is "how will that help you put the ball over the bar"...... now we have someone that will!! Anyway whats the difference between this and a player starting up a gym??? Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1292 - 23/07/2020 09:00:51 2284947 Link
I think we all agree that he is an exceptional free taker. Nails the frees you need your free taker to kick everytime out. But the prices are genuinely laughable and he should have a rethink about things. RicoSuave (Galway) - Posts: 32 - 23/07/2020 09:45:17 2284949 Link
Replying To gahfan: "For me this is part of the whole dublin story that has never really been told or addressed. All we hear about is the great volunteers they are and all the charity work that they do." What hasn't been told or addressed? lilylanger (Kildare) - Posts: 527 - 23/07/2020 10:11:53 2284952 Link
Replying To RicoSuave: "I think we all agree that he is an exceptional free taker. Nails the frees you need your free taker to kick everytime out. But the prices are genuinely laughable and he should have a rethink about things." If he's booked out already, then I'd say he has the prices right. He's running a business. If people want to pay they can, if not they don't have to. If demand is low, he'll reduce the prices. No more than TJ Reid or Andy Moran setting their gym membership fees. They'll find what's working. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 875 - 23/07/2020 10:20:55 2284957 Link
Replying To RicoSuave: "I think we all agree that he is an exceptional free taker. Nails the frees you need your free taker to kick everytime out. But the prices are genuinely laughable and he should have a rethink about things." Demand will dictate the price. If he's all booked up he'd hardly have to think about the price. If people are willing to pay him I don't see your problem. MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13145 - 23/07/2020 10:22:44 2284958 Link
Replying To MesAmis: "Demand will dictate the price. If he's all booked up he'd hardly have to think about the price. If people are willing to pay him I don't see your problem." Exactly. Same as housing prices in Dublin. Keep on paying them lads, demand dictates the prices! Oldyellar (Carlow) - Posts: 35 - 23/07/2020 13:58:37 2285001 Link
Replying To MesAmis: "Demand will dictate the price. If he's all booked up he'd hardly have to think about the price. If people are willing to pay him I don't see your problem." They're a lot cheaper than the last GAA freetaking workshops Mes, in fairness! He wants to be the Dave Alred of the GAA, fair play to him. A great player and son of a great who could kick a few frees too. Has Dean coached before, teams or one and one sessions? GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 5955 - 23/07/2020 14:23:20 2285010 Link
Replying To Bon: "Well for a start you'd be learning from the best in the business. Could be a good investment from a coaching point of view. I don't know how people could honestly begrudge this man. I guarantee you players aren't doing Cul Camps for nothing. How many county players are personal trainers and run their own gyms? If there's a demand for something like this then what's the problem." In all honesty how much can you learn in an hour when it comes to taking frees. All good free takers will tell you the reason they became good was by spending hours down in their local field as a youngster practising. Obviously you have to have the natural talent to start off with - but there isn't much more to it than practice. hopballref (Galway) - Posts: 249 - 23/07/2020 15:24:15 2285019 Link
Replying To lilylanger: "It's sold out according to his Instagram account. Wishing something would go tits up for a member of the GAA community is not what the GAA is about." He will do ok because he is from Dublin and clubs have the cash. Wouldn't work anywhere outside Dublin. I can't imagine Kerry people would take too kindly to Maurice Fitz/Bryan Sheehan/Colm Cooper/Sean O' Shea going around to clubs and charging those prices in Kerry. hopballref (Galway) - Posts: 249 - 23/07/2020 15:28:43 2285020 Link
Replying To lilylanger: "True however surely its up to the individual if they want to avail of this extortion. Much like Gooch's testimonial. There will always be people willing to shell out a small fortune to learn from the best and meet their heroes. It wouldn't be me but I don't see the harm in it." Yes, that's true, it's ultimately up to the individual(s) concerned how they want to spend their cash. However, for me there's a difference between some of the activities being mentioned here and what Rock is offering. I don't begrudge GAA players making a few quid out of punditry, a boot deal, after-dinner speaking etc. as those are not really core activities of the Association. But there's a long tradition of ex-players giving back to their club and counties through training young people or senior teams (for free) which is being eroded (maybe entirely swept away?) within gaelic sports. It's wrong when managers accept money for training GAA teams and it's wrong when players set up side-initiatives solely for their own enrichment and nothing else. People are mentioning Cúl Camps here, but they are a huge thing in terms of popularizing gaelic games among kids. We have had a couple in our club in the past few years and they have had a massive effect in terms of getting youth structures going. There's a communitarian benefit there that goes beyond a few coaches getting a few bob from organizing it. Come to think of it, presumably these sessions will be held on GAA facilities. Is it necessary to get the GAA's approval for these activities? It just seems to me that the filthy lucre has become a driver of a lot of things within the GAA, and that's not a positive development in my view. Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 1803 - 23/07/2020 16:02:51 2285028 Link
How many gaa people own gyms. How many county players hand out trophys and medal's, or train teams and get paid cash under the table ?? People spend hundreds on gyms boots gloves special foods , so if a few wanna spend a bit more getting some advice good luck to them ,at least he's up front about it ,not the brown envelope brigade who make a fortune out of the gaa hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 23/07/2020 16:08:38 2285030 Link
Replying To hopballref: "He will do ok because he is from Dublin and clubs have the cash. Wouldn't work anywhere outside Dublin. I can't imagine Kerry people would take too kindly to Maurice Fitz/Bryan Sheehan/Colm Cooper/Sean O' Shea going around to clubs and charging those prices in Kerry." Is it clubs he is targeting? It only takes one to cut the path then we may have a deluge of players cashing in. That said Colm Coopers Testimonial hasn't been done since I don't think. What did the Kerry folk think of that? lilylanger (Kildare) - Posts: 527 - 23/07/2020 16:15:12 2285032 Link
If only Rock was from some other County! https://growcoach.ie/kevin-walsh/ Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1073 - 23/07/2020 21:58:30 2285069 Link
Replying To hopballref: "In all honesty how much can you learn in an hour when it comes to taking frees. All good free takers will tell you the reason they became good was by spending hours down in their local field as a youngster practising. Obviously you have to have the natural talent to start off with - but there isn't much more to it than practice." You could learn an awful lot that would stand to you in an hour. How about being showing proper technique, proper footing, how to focus your breathing, using imagery with the posts. Then you can practise that for hours on end. You have to learn the basics first and who better to learn from them the best in business. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 979 - 23/07/2020 22:08:42 2285072 Link
I used have a very cut and dried approach to the issue of amateur players benefitting from inter county GAA participation. I was totally against it, even up to Gooch's testimonial. Now in my mid 40s with arthritic knee pain from injuries picked up in too many club (in particular), college and county games I look on things differently! If you can make a few bob and you're giving something back, why not. Good luck to Dean. GAA pedigree is unquestioned. Wasn't his late grand uncle a key stewart in Croke Park? CC2020 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 46 - 23/07/2020 22:24:30 2285078 Link
Nothing to see here. Good luck to him. sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2703 - 23/07/2020 23:15:40 2285082 Link
No problem with it DuhallowRed (Cork) - Posts: 140 - 24/07/2020 10:15:16 2285093 Link
my brother was a memer of a club that paid a kerry midfielder £200 to present medals in 1981 or 82, his wife told sister in law they were out 2/3 night a week Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 1925 - 24/07/2020 11:14:10 2285100 Link
Replying To Bon: "You could learn an awful lot that would stand to you in an hour. How about being showing proper technique, proper footing, how to focus your breathing, using imagery with the posts. Then you can practise that for hours on end. You have to learn the basics first and who better to learn from them the best in business." All free-takers have their own technique. Its whatever they feel comfortable with. Fair enough on the breathing/imagery etc. Still think it's a waste of money for clubs. hopballref (Galway) - Posts: 249 - 24/07/2020 11:18:27 2285103 Link